exclusive Mumtaz, a 24-year-old transsexual, was arrested in a budget hotel in Ipoh, Perak, last month for allegedly being involved in prostitution.

Mumtaz, who has undergone a sex change operation, was then taken to the Ipoh police station for further investigations. And her nightmare began.

She was allegedly told to strip in the presence of three male police personnel and her request to do so in front of female officers was rejected.

The reason given was that the gender classification on her identity card still read 'male'.

Mumtaz, who underwent the sex change operation in Thailand six years ago, has managed to change her name on the identity card in 2002, but not the gender.

'I felt humiliated'

Fearing for her safety, she complied and when she undressed, Mumtaz claimed that she was rained with abuses.

"They told me things like 'your stuff is beautiful' and 'very big (breasts)'. I felt humiliated," she told malaysiakini in a recent interview.

She was then instructed to get dressed and wait in the interrogation room, where another ordeal came knocking.

Here, Mumtaz recalled how a police officer began to quiz her on her private parts.

"'Can play with it?' 'Will liquid come out?' 'Will you feel anything'. I told him off but he demanded an answer," she said.

Upset with the treatment, she then filed a complaint with another officer, identified only as Inspector Pillai, who told her not to create any trouble.

"I was then detained in the lock-up for four days with female detainees before being released on bail," she said.

On Nov 7, with the encouragement from her partner A Ravichandran, 28, she lodged a report with the Bukit Aman federal headquarters disciplinary department.

'Treat them like humans'

Ravichandran, who accompanied Mumtaz to the interview, said the incident had angered him.

"Following procedure, the police asked her to strip. But look at her, she looks exactly like a woman. Were they (the police personnel) blind?

"If they did not check her IC (identity card), do you think the police would have dared to ask her to undress?" he asked.

He also denied that Mumtaz was involved in prostitution, saying that they were in Ipoh to collect debts from a friend and that she was arrested when he went out to buy food.

"I rushed to the police station (after learning of her arrest). The police asked me if I was her pimp," he added.

Ravichandran, who has been living with Mumtaz for seven years, said the authorities should not forget that transsexuals are also human beings.

"They are not animals. Don't they deserve respect?

"Where are her human rights? Yes, she underwent a sex-change operation. But did she harm others, did she break the law?" he asked

The couple's numerous attempts to get married have been in vain since Mumtaz is unable to change the gender classification on her identity card.

According to Ravichandran, this has also prevented his 'wife' from securing employment.

"She always gets humiliated when she shows her IC during job interviews. If the government declines to change their gender, you will only push them to vice.

"Please don't treat transsexuals like dogs. She is very kind and honest. I like her so I don't care how people look at us," he said.